Vedder Price is pleased to announce Global Transportation Finance Shareholder Francis X. Nolan, III was today elected President of The Maritime Law Association of the United States (MLA) at the MLA Spring General Meeting in New York City. Mr. Nolan has served on the Board of Directors and earlier as Vice President and Chair of the Marine Financing Committee.

The MLA is the premier professional maritime organization committed to improving maritime law. Founded in 1899, the MLA’s approximately 3,000+ members consist of lawyers involved in maritime matters, judges active in matters involving admiralty issues, admiralty law professors, and stakeholders who are selected because they hold responsible positions in the maritime industry. The MLA is a member of the Brussels-based Comité Maritime International (CMI) and is affiliated with the American Bar Association.

A longtime member of the maritime bar and the third generation of his family in the maritime industry, Mr. Nolan represents international and domestic lenders, borrowers, investors, lessees, lessors, operators, shipbuilders and manufacturers principally in the transportation and defense industries. He has extensive experience in the financing of a wide variety of transportation assets and projects, including vessels of every description, drill rigs, locomotives and rolling stock, containers and related equipment. Mr. Nolan has represented clients in financing transactions for vessels under U.S. flag and numerous foreign flags, bareboat charter registries and under restricted flags, such as the U.S. Jones Act trades.

As President, Mr. Nolan will continue to build on MLA’s successes, promoting the uniformity of maritime law and enhancing the benefits of membership for lawyers involved in maritime matters. During his tenure, Mr. Nolan also plans to focus on the overall engagement of members in the associations’ numerous projects, strive to expand MLA’s cross-border relationships, and continue the MLA’s extraordinary constructive relationship with the United States Coast Guard and other relevant government bodies.

“I am humbled and proud to accept the role of MLA president,” said Mr. Nolan. “I’ve been an active member of the MLA for 43 years and have worked closely with MLA leadership for many years. I am eager to build upon its momentum. It’s an exciting time for the maritime community and I am thrilled to play a part in its growth and advancement.”

About MLA

The Maritime Law Association of the United States (MLA) was founded in 1899. Its formation was prompted by the organization, some three years earlier, of the International Maritime Committee, better known by its name in French, Comité Maritime International (CMI). The objectives of the Association is to advance reforms in the Maritime Law of the United States, to facilitate justice in its administration, to promote uniformity in its enactment and interpretation, to furnish a forum for the discussion and consideration of problems affecting the Maritime Law and its administration, to participate as a constituent member of the Comité Maritime International and as an affiliated organization of the American Bar Association, and to act with other associations in efforts to bring about a greater harmony in the shipping laws, regulations and practices of different nations. Because the MLA’s work has become so well-known, its views are frequently sought by Congress and government agencies. The Association’s positions are officially expressed from time to time, but such expressions are subject to strict control. The Association is connected with or interacts with a number of international organizations (usually identified by acronyms) which include, among others: The Comité Maritime International (CMI), The International Maritime Organization (IMO), The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT), The United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and The Hague Conference on Private International Law.

Vedder Price is pleased to announce that a number of our attorneys and practice groups have been ranked by Chambers USA in 2018, including a nationwide Band 1 firm ranking for Transportation: Aviation Finance, the guide’s highest honor for the eighth year in a row. In addition, Vedder Price has earned five new *first time rankings.

Practice Group Rankings

Band 1

• Transportation: Aviation: Finance (Nationwide)
  
  

Band 2

• Labor & Employment: Employee Benefits & Compensation (Illinois)
• Transportation: Shipping/Maritime: Finance (Nationwide)
  
  

Band 3

• Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations (Illinois)
  
  

Band 4

• Banking & Finance (Illinois)
• Bankruptcy/Restructuring (Illinois)
• Labor & Employment (Illinois)
• Investment Funds: Registered Funds (Nationwide)
  
  

Band 5

• Corporate/M&A & Private Equity (Illinois)
  
  

Attorney Rankings

Band 1

• Dean N. Gerber – Transportation: Aviation: Finance (Nationwide)
• Ronald Scheinberg - Transportation: Aviation: Finance (Nationwide)
  
  

Band 2

• Thomas P. Desmond – Labor & Employment: Employee Benefits & Compensation (Illinois)
• Douglas J. Lipke – Bankruptcy/Restructuring (Illinois)
• Dean N. Gerber – Banking & Finance (Illinois)
• Blaine C. Kimrey – Media & Entertainment: Litigation (Illinois)
• Francis X. Nolan III – Transportation: Shipping/Maritime: Finance (Nationwide)
• Cathy Gonzales O’Kelly – Investment Funds: Registered Funds (Nationwide)
• Richard W. Pearse (Retired) – Construction (Illinois)
• Robert J. Stucker – Labor & Employment: Employee Benefits & Compensation (Illinois)
• Jeffrey T. Veber – Transportation: Aviation: Finance (Nationwide)
• Junaid A. Zubairi – Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations (Illinois)
  
  

Band 3

• Bradley C. Crawford – Banking & Finance (California)
• Michael M. Eidelman – Bankruptcy/ Restructuring (Illinois)
• *Cameron A. Gee – Transportation: Aviation: Finance (Nationwide)
• Edward C. Jepson Jr. – Labor & Employment (Illinois)
• Geoffrey R. Kass – Transportation: Aviation: Finance (Nationwide)
• John T. McEnroe – Banking & Finance (Illinois)
• Michael A. Nemeroff – Corporate/M&A (Illinois)
• Kenneth F. Sparks – Labor & Employment (Illinois)
• Kelly A. Starr – Labor & Employment: Employee Benefits & Compensation (Illinois)
  
  

Band 4

• David A. Sturms – Investment Funds: Registered Funds (Nationwide)
  
  

Associates to Watch

• Bryan Clark – Media & Entertainment: Litigation (Illinois)
  
  

Recognized Practitioner

• *Adam R. Beringer – Transportation: Aviation: Finance (Nationwide)
• Gabrielle M. Buckley – Immigration (Nationwide)
• *Kevin P. Connelly – Government: Government Contracts (Nationwide)
• *Thomas G. Hancuch – Labor & Employment: Employee Benefits & Compensation (Illinois)
  
  

Other Noted Firm

• *Media & Entertainment: Litigation (Illinois)

Chambers & Partners is a notable resource for the legal profession and has built a reputation for in-depth, objective research. Chambers conducts thousands of interviews with lawyers and their clients worldwide to identify and rank the world’s best lawyers according to the criteria most valued by clients, such as technical knowledge, business acumen, prompt delivery and value. On the basis of this research, Chambers ranks both firms and individual attorneys around the world. Click here for the firm’s full Chambers & Partners profile.

Vedder Price is pleased to announce Global Transportation Finance Shareholder Francis X. Nolan, III was today elected President of The Maritime Law Association of the United States (MLA) at the MLA Spring General Meeting in New York City. Mr. Nolan has served on the Board of Directors and earlier as Vice President and Chair of the Marine Financing Committee.

The MLA is the premier professional maritime organization committed to improving maritime law. Founded in 1899, the MLA’s approximately 3,000+ members consist of lawyers involved in maritime matters, judges active in matters involving admiralty issues, admiralty law professors, and stakeholders who are selected because they hold responsible positions in the maritime industry. The MLA is a member of the Brussels-based Comité Maritime International (CMI) and is affiliated with the American Bar Association.

A longtime member of the maritime bar and the third generation of his family in the maritime industry, Mr. Nolan represents international and domestic lenders, borrowers, investors, lessees, lessors, operators, shipbuilders and manufacturers principally in the transportation and defense industries. He has extensive experience in the financing of a wide variety of transportation assets and projects, including vessels of every description, drill rigs, locomotives and rolling stock, containers and related equipment. Mr. Nolan has represented clients in financing transactions for vessels under U.S. flag and numerous foreign flags, bareboat charter registries and under restricted flags, such as the U.S. Jones Act trades.

As President, Mr. Nolan will continue to build on MLA’s successes, promoting the uniformity of maritime law and enhancing the benefits of membership for lawyers involved in maritime matters. During his tenure, Mr. Nolan also plans to focus on the overall engagement of members in the associations’ numerous projects, strive to expand MLA’s cross-border relationships, and continue the MLA’s extraordinary constructive relationship with the United States Coast Guard and other relevant government bodies.

“I am humbled and proud to accept the role of MLA president,” said Mr. Nolan. “I’ve been an active member of the MLA for 43 years and have worked closely with MLA leadership for many years. I am eager to build upon its momentum. It’s an exciting time for the maritime community and I am thrilled to play a part in its growth and advancement.”

About MLA

The Maritime Law Association of the United States (MLA) was founded in 1899. Its formation was prompted by the organization, some three years earlier, of the International Maritime Committee, better known by its name in French, Comité Maritime International (CMI). The objectives of the Association is to advance reforms in the Maritime Law of the United States, to facilitate justice in its administration, to promote uniformity in its enactment and interpretation, to furnish a forum for the discussion and consideration of problems affecting the Maritime Law and its administration, to participate as a constituent member of the Comité Maritime International and as an affiliated organization of the American Bar Association, and to act with other associations in efforts to bring about a greater harmony in the shipping laws, regulations and practices of different nations. Because the MLA’s work has become so well-known, its views are frequently sought by Congress and government agencies. The Association’s positions are officially expressed from time to time, but such expressions are subject to strict control. The Association is connected with or interacts with a number of international organizations (usually identified by acronyms) which include, among others: The Comité Maritime International (CMI), The International Maritime Organization (IMO), The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT), The United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and The Hague Conference on Private International Law.

Washington, DC Global Transportation Finance Shareholder David M. Hernandez was recently quoted in the article “Business Aircraft Import/Export: Seeing the Big Picture”  in NBAA’s Business Aviation Insider. In the article, which advises owners to pay attention to the details when importing or exporting an aircraft to ensure they meet all U.S. and international requirements, Mr. Hernandez weighs in on various considerations when buying and selling an aircraft.

In particular, international aircraft transactions require additional attention, as the laws may vary between the buyer’s and seller’s countries. Mr. Hernandez advises, “International transactions require more time and patience to have a worry-free transaction.” He adds, “Make sure your agreement addresses potential registration concerns.”

To read the article in full, please click here.

Cameron A. Gee, a Shareholder on the Global Transportation Finance team, discusses Aircraft pre-delivery payment (or PDP) financing transactions in the Spring 2018 issue of The Journal of Structured Finance. The article explains how PDP financing works and discusses current market practice for structuring and documenting PDP transactions. It includes discussion of manufacturer consents, structuring using special purpose vehicles and “claw-back” risk.

The article updates and expands upon an article that Mr. Gee originally published in the Fall 2009 edition of The Journal of Structured Finance. To read the article in full, please click here. (Subscription may be required.)

The following Thought Leadership articles, authored by Vedder Price Labor & Employment attorneys, address the #MeToo movement’s impact on human resource departments, the issues surrounding workplace sex harassment allegations, investigations and claims, and the recent legislation passed in certain jurisdictions addressing employers’ new obligations.  

Singapore Global Transportation Finance Practice Shareholder Ji Woon Kim will participate at Marine Money’s China Ship Finance & Offshore Summit on Wednesday, May 23, 2018 in Shanghai. The two-day seminar brings together several hundred borrowers, lenders and investors from around the world to network, exchange ideas and learn about the current worldwide ship finance trends.

Mr. Kim will moderate the session, “Optimizing the Structure of Lease Finance.”

To learn more about this conference, please click here.

Shareholders of the Vedder Price IP team will co-chair and present at PLI’s “Patent Fundamentals Bootcamp 2017: An Introduction to Patent Drafting, Prosecution, and Litigation” in Chicago on May 8-10 and in New York on June 13-15. The program will focus on teaching the basics of claim drafting, patent application preparation and prosecution, and also provide a review of recent developments in the law. The seminars will provide a unique combination of patent prosecution lectures and mentoring, where attendees will learn to prepare a patent application that satisfies the statutory requirements for patentability, prosecute an application to obtain allowance of an enforceable patent and interview an examiner among other skills. Shareholder Angelo J. Bufalino will again Co-Chair the program in Chicago.

Shareholder Michael J. Turgeon will act as a clinic instructor in Chicago and Associate Heidi Lunasin will act as some of the New York clinic instructors, working with the attendees on an amendment problem relating to a sample invention. The clinic serves as a unique supplement to the lectures and will provide the kind of hands-on mentoring that senior attorneys are hard-pressed to provide on a day-to-day basis. 

To learn more about the seminar, please click here.